1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for recovering valuable metals such as zinc, iron and the like from an iron dust containing zinc therein such as the one generated in an electric arc furnace for steel manufacture or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A dust generated in an iron and/or steel melting furnace such as the electric arc one is collected by means of a dust collector. The amount of the dust generated normally corresponds to 1 to 1.5% by weight of the crude steel manufactured, and the dust contains 25 to 30% by weight of iron, 20 to 25% by weight of zinc and 3 to 4% by weight of lead therein. The present situation is, however, such that it is to be subject to a collective treatment by specific refiners to whom the dust generated is handed over due to unavailability of a proper and easy recovering method thereof which can be operated on a simple and small scale.
Several methods have been proposed such as a rotary blast kiln method and also lately, a treating method using plasma heat. These methods, however, have drawbacks such as the complexity of process, high operation costs or the like.
Therefore, this invention has been completed, taking into consideration such circumstances.